Eugene native Robby Ahlstrom promoted to Rangers, set for MLB debut

Eugene’s pipeline to the majors produced another milestone Monday when the Texas Rangers selected Robby Ahlstrom’s contract from Triple-A Round Rock, putting the North Eugene High School graduate in line for his first big-league appearance.

Ahlstrom, a Eugene native who transferred to Oregon from Chemeketa Community College, reached the Rangers after a steady 2026 run in Round Rock. In 21 games with the Triple-A club, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound left-hander posted a 2.76 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 33 strikeouts and two saves in 29.1 innings. He turns 27 on June 18 and is in his fifth professional season.

The call-up came before Texas opened its series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, and it arrived amid a round of roster moves. The Rangers also placed reliever Chris Martin on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 31, and transferred Robert Garcia to the 60-day injured list.

For Lane County fans, the promotion carries a familiar local arc. Ahlstrom starred at North Eugene, then climbed through Chemeketa before becoming one of Oregon’s most reliable arms. In 2021, he went 9-3 with a 2.50 ERA over 14 starts for the Ducks, earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors and was named ABCA/Rawlings second-team All-West Region. He also made the Eugene Regional All-Tournament Team after helping Oregon push toward a Super Regional bid.

One of Ahlstrom’s most memorable local moments came at PK Park, where he threw eight strong innings in a regional win over Gonzaga. For Duck fans who packed the stands that June, the outing fit the image of a hometown pitcher who had once watched games from those same seats and then came back as the anchor of Oregon’s staff.

The New York Yankees drafted Ahlstrom in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB Draft with the 213th overall pick, and his path has carried him from Eugene to Round Rock and now to the doorstep of the majors. His promotion gives Lane County another homegrown name to point to, a reminder that players who grow up on local fields can still follow a route from North Eugene to Oregon and, eventually, to baseball’s highest level.